September 02, 2004

Ongoing madness

My cable was out last night, and so I was unable to watch the RNC speeches. At the time, I was disappointed, because I wanted to follow them. Reading some of the transcripts, it's probably just as well; I may have saved myself an apoplectic fit or two. Rhetoric and propaganda are one thing, and if they have a place at all, it's certainly political conventions. But they just keep making statements that are demonstrably untrue! That is, lying.

Zell Miller's speech deserves especial attention. The main thrust of his arguments seem to be that A) Kerry is unpatriotic to even run for president against Bush in these turbulent times, B) the Democrats are even more unpatriotic for supporting him, and C) anyone who protests against the current administration is damn near treasonous. We have many words for countries where those sentiments prevail, but "first world" and "democracy" are not among them.